New BMA campaign calls on politicians to stop using NHS to score points
BMJ 2015; 350 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.h903 (Published 16 February 2015) Cite this as: BMJ 2015;350:h903All rapid responses
Rapid responses are electronic comments to the editor. They enable our users to debate issues raised in articles published on bmj.com. A rapid response is first posted online. If you need the URL (web address) of an individual response, simply click on the response headline and copy the URL from the browser window. A proportion of responses will, after editing, be published online and in the print journal as letters, which are indexed in PubMed. Rapid responses are not indexed in PubMed and they are not journal articles. The BMJ reserves the right to remove responses which are being wilfully misrepresented as published articles or when it is brought to our attention that a response spreads misinformation.
From March 2022, the word limit for rapid responses will be 600 words not including references and author details. We will no longer post responses that exceed this limit.
The word limit for letters selected from posted responses remains 300 words.
Is this the same BMA who fought tooth and nail to oppose the creation of the NHS ?
Granted, they have come a long way, but doctors still assume they own the health service. They do not. The nation does. The politicians have a right to guide the NHS since they will have to raise the taxes and answer to the nation.
Every election year the BMA comes up with some sort of 'hands-off our NHS' campaign, arguing that they know better than everyone else how to run it. Much as one expects from any trade union such as teachers or policemen in a state-owned service, they will defend self-interest dressed up as the greater good. They might do far better if they backed off from national policy-making, and encouraged cross-party strategic planning instead, starting with the obvious longterm consensus of universality of access, funded through taxation, free-at-the-point-of-use.
Competing interests: becoming more of a patient than a doctor
In my opinion our NHS remains one of the best health care organisation in the world and it should remain independent free from any political control.
Competing interests: No competing interests
Politics should STOP MEDDLING WITH the Medical profession. I hope politicians understand IT!!!!!!
Competing interests: No competing interests
I agree that promises of "£2bn more" and "see a doctor 7 days a week" and "5000 more..." "...no, 8,000 more doctors" are distractions from the main issue of providing an efficient primary and secondary care system best attuned to modern requirements.
But serious political debate is required regarding our NHS which, at this moment, is being dismantled insidiously under the guise of "quality".
Monitoring and reporting on "quality" of GP practice & hospital care - using dubious and unsubstantiated measures and methods and the threat of negative public reporting / fines - has led to an atmosphere of intimidation with few opportunities accessible to the front line service providers to call the number counters themselves to account. Instead they are being monitored into a standstill - under the threat of further cutbacks and closures.
Where is the positive support from NHS England for areas threatened by GP practice closures? How many new practices have been set up, while 100 practices have been put at risk of closure since August 2014?
Checks are good, but there are two sides to governance. What is going on behind the fine words is threatening our NHS and requires full disclosure. How many practices have closed, how many new ones opened, how are the regional NHS England teams supporting new practices... and can anyone explain the variable funding per patient that different GP practices are subject to?
I'm reminded of my son's Fantasy Football game, where football players who have worked their socks off throughout a game end up with minimum points while the ones who got lucky and put the ball in the net, or stood nearby at the right time to assist, are not only awarded for the goal itself, but also gather up all the bonus points...
Competing interests: No competing interests
There will be games
Better to realise this than kid ourselves
With Best Wishes
Competing interests: No competing interests
Re: New BMA campaign calls on politicians to stop using NHS to score points
I certainly do not intend to belittle this important message. I have written before that to save the NHS from being a political football one should even take it out of the hands of the politicians. But that I know is wishful thinking.
Permit me, however, to make a more positive contribution. It takes two to tango and often even to play a game. I do not diminish the role of the patients but in this context the key players would be the MPs and the doctors represented by the BMA. Is it just the MPs who have played a political game with the NHS: it is just worth a recall. The public may well say let those without fault cast the first stone.
The BMA has made very justifiable demands in the interest of the NHS and the patients. To convince the public of their genuine interest should the BMA not declare its contributions to this discussion. The public expects the doctors also to deliver best care for the patients and a long term sustainable plan for the NHS.
A public declaration would be a great and positive contribution. The patients would be greatly appreciative.
Competing interests: No competing interests